Anna Karenina eBook

“Well, I’m glad,” he said, coldly
scanning her, her hair, her dress, which he knew she
had put on for him. All was charming, but how
many times it had charmed him! And the stern,
stony expression that she so dreaded settled upon
his face.

“Well, I’m glad. And are you well?”
he said, wiping his damp beard with his handkerchief
and kissing her hand.

“Never mind,” she thought, “only
let him be here, and so long as he’s here he
cannot, he dare not, cease to love me.”

The evening was spent happily and gaily in the presence
of Princess Varvara, who complained to him that Anna
had been taking morphine in his absence.

“What am I to do? I couldn’t sleep....
My thoughts prevented me. When he’s here
I never take it—­hardly ever.”

He told her about the election, and Anna knew how
by adroit questions to bring him to what gave him
most pleasure—­his own success. She
told him of everything that interested him at home;
and all that she told him was of the most cheerful
description.

But late in the evening, when they were alone, Anna,
seeing that she had regained complete possession of
him, wanted to erase the painful impression of the
glance he had given her for her letter. She said:

“Tell me frankly, you were vexed at getting
my letter, and you didn’t believe me?”

As soon as she had said it, she felt that however
warm his feelings were to her, he had not forgiven
her for that.

“Yes,” he said, “the letter was
so strange. First, Annie ill, and then you thought
of coming yourself.”

“It was all the truth.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it.”

“Yes, you do doubt it. You are vexed,
I see.”

“Not for one moment. I’m only vexed,
that’s true, that you seem somehow unwilling
to admit that there are duties...”

“The duty of going to a concert...”

“But we won’t talk about it,” he
said.

“Why not talk about it?” she said.

“I only meant to say that matters of real importance
may turn up. Now, for instance, I shall have
to go to Moscow to arrange about the house....
Oh, Anna, why are you so irritable? Don’t
you know that I can’t live without you?”

“If so,” said Anna, her voice suddenly
changing, “it means that you are sick of this
life.... Yes, you will come for a day and go
away, as men do...”

“Anna, that’s cruel. I am ready
to give up my whole life.”

But she did not hear him.

“If you go to Moscow, I will go too. I
will not stay here. Either we must separate or
else live together.”

“Why, you know, that’s my one desire.
But for that...”

“We must get a divorce. I will write to
him. I see I cannot go on like this....
But I will come with you to Moscow.”

“You talk as if you were threatening me.
But I desire nothing so much as never to be parted
from you,” said Vronsky, smiling.